Weekly Toll: Workers Killed on the Job Last Week

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KTVU) – Family and friends are mourning the death of a construction worker, killed after he was hit by a steel beam in the Twin Peaks Tunnel in San Francisco on Friday. Loved ones have identified him as 51-year-old Patrick Ricketts, who lives in the City of Williams in the Sacramento area. Ricketts has worked in construction for 15 years and leaves behind a wife of more than 20 years and two adult children. Ricketts was employed by Shimmick Construction based in Oakland. SFMTA manages the improvement project for the 100-year-old tunnel. Ricketts was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died. SFMTA said at the time, 40 workers were evacuated from inside the tunnel.

Oklahoma volunteer firefighter dies in the line of duty

FRIENDSHIP, Okla. – A firefighter with the Friendship, Oklahoma, Volunteer Fire Department died in the line of duty earlier this week. According to the Altus Fire Department, Friendship fire crews responded to a house fire near Altus Friday. Officials say 54-year-old Friendship Fire Department Assistant Chief Madison “Maddy” Lee Clinton Jr. was tragically killed. Clinton was “performing suppression operations on a structure fire” when during the operation, “the structure collapsed on Assistant Chief Clinton pinning him under the roof of the structure.”

Eugene man falls to death working on billboard in Polk County

Eugene, OR — A Eugene man fell to his death Friday while working on a billboard in Polk County. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Gregory Jenkins, 57, of Eugene was working on a billboard near Grand Ronde when he lost his balance and fell about 75 feet to the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies believe Jenkins may not have had his safety harness tethered to the platform.

Truck driver killed in crash that shut down I-495 for hours

Wilmington, DE — Delaware State Police are still investigating the tractor trailer collision that killed one and shut down Interstate 495 for approximately 11 hours on Saturday. A Toyota Avalon driven by a 46-year-old Philadelphia man had become disabled, and a 27-year-old Philadelphia woman in a Buick Le Sabre tried to swerve around that in the northbound lane, roughly a quarter of a mile south of Philadelphia Pike, according to Delaware State Police. When that vehicle failed to swerve it hit the Toyota and that’s when the Volvo truck came up from behind and could not avoid the two disabled vehicles, causing it to overturn on August 11, 2018 just after 3 a.m. The operators of the initial vehicles were not injured but the truck driver, later identified as 53-year-old Michael L. Kent, of Newark, died at the scene.

Fmr Marine & CHP Officer Killed in Bay Area Crash

Fairfield, CA — A California Highway Patrol officer, CHP Motor Officer Kirk Griess, died from his injuries following a “significant traffic accident” on a highway in Fairfield Friday morning, according to CHP.Officer Kirk Griess, died at the North Bay Medical Center after being struck on Interstate 80 at North Texas Street, according to CHP Moorpark. Aerial footage of the scene showed two wrecked vehicles and a CHP motorcycle in pieces. The condition of the other drivers are unknown.

Construction Worker Dies in Apparent Work Site Accident

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (WFRV) – A construction worker in Sheboygan has died in an apparent workplace accident at the Meijer construction site on Kohler Memorial Drive. On Tuesday at around 8:30 a.m., 22-year-old Marcelo Barreilo-Mersfelder was killed after becoming pinned between heavy equipment while pouring concrete. Authorities say Barreilo-Mersfelder died from blunt force trauma.

Utility worker killed in accident at Hudson Valley plant

RIFTON, N.Y. (AP) — A utility company says an investigation is underway after one of its maintenance employees died in an accident at a Hudson Valley hydroelectric plant. Officials with Central Hudson Gas and Electric tell the Daily Freeman of Kingston that 36-year-old Joshua Hockx, of Saugerties (SAW’-ger-teez), died Wedneday while operating a riding mower at the company’s Sturgeon Point plant in the Ulster County hamlet of Rifton. The company says state and federal regulators are at the site Friday investigating what caused is death.

MAN SAYS HE KILLED CITY WORKER OVER YARD RULE ‘HARASSMENT’

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – A Utah man who shot and killed a city worker, torched her truck and set his neighbor’s house on fire told witnesses that he did it after “years of harassment” over laws requiring cleanup of trash and weeds outside his home, police said Friday. Kevin Wayne Billings, 64, said the code enforcement officer in suburban Salt Lake City “got what she deserved,” police said in jail documents. Jill Robinson had dealt with Billings before, but it was a routine call and code enforcement officers don’t aim to harass residents, officials said. He poured gasoline on Robinson’s city pickup truck, then set it ablaze Thursday, police said. He also started a fire on his neighbor’s deck that spread to their home and destroyed it, killing six dogs and two cats, police said.

Construction worker dies in freak saw accident

Westerleigh, NY — A hardhat at a Staten Island construction site died in a freak accident Friday when he fell while operating a saw — and the blade fell on his throat, cops and sources said. The unidentified worker, 50, was working at Maine and Clinton B Fisk Avenues in Westerleigh around 11 a.m., when he suddenly fell from an elevated position — taking the heavy-duty saw down with him, sources said. Police responded to a 911 call to find the wounded worker bleeding heavily from a deep cut to his throat.

Second employee dies from Letterkenny Army Depot explosion

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. – A second person died Thursday, after being injured last month. He was injured during an explosion at the Letterkenny Army Depot in Franklin County. The identity of the person is being withheld out of respect for the family. The person was one of five employees injured in the apparent explosion that resulted in a fire on July 19. One employee died the day after the explosion, one remains hospitalized and two were treated for smoke inhalation and released. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

Man trapped under heavy equipment killed on North Pecos Road

NORTH LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A man was killed when he became trapped under machinery at a light industrial business Thursday morning. The North Las Vegas Fire Department was dispatched at 8:57 a.m. to CNC, a machining business in the 4100 block of North Pecos Road, for a man trapped under machinery. Units arrived within five minutes to find the victim trapped below a large piece of equipment, according to a North Las Vegas Fire Department news release. Crews lifted the equipment and extricated the man, however, it was determined that he had succumbed to his injuries.

Firefighter killed in car crash responding to California wildfire

Tehama County, CA — An eighth person died Thursday in a nearly 180,000-acre wildfire raging in Northern California, state fire officials said. Cal Fire announced that Andrew Brake, 40, was killed in a single-vehicle crash while assigned to the Carr Fire. “It’s with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Heavy Equipment Mechanic Andrew Jason Brake,” Cal Fire said. “Please keep Andrew’s loved ones and everyone in [Cal Fire Butte] in your thoughts.” The crash took place on Highway 99 in Tehama County as Brake, a six-year Cal Fire veteran was traveling to help combat the fire, California’s KGO reported.

25-Year-Old Dies After Fall From Bucket Truck In Hudson Valley

Lewisboro, NY — A 25-year-old man who fell from a bucket truck while working on Monday has died, police announced on Thursday. Middletown Police Lt. Jeffry Thoelen said he was notified late Wednesday by the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office of the death. The man worked for JMH Tree Service, which lists a Middletown address. Fire officials said the man fell 30 to 40 feet near 15 Highland Ave. around 12:48 p.m. Monday.

Worker killed in accident at Wake construction site

RALEIGH, N.C. — A piece of heavy equipment overturned on a worker (48-year-old Nolvia Ruiz-Turcios Martinez. ) at a construction site in southeastern Wake County on Thursday, killing the worker, authorities said. The accident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. in the 4400 block of Auburn Knightdale Road, said Tim Herman, deputy chief of Garner Fire Rescue. Authorities haven’t released the worker’s name, but said the victim was 48 years old. Herman said cranes and other specialized equipment were being brought in to stabilize the loose soil in the area so crews could recover the worker’s body. “The scene is very unsafe, very unstable. We’re using caution to protect everybody out here,” he said.

River Falls, WI – -The roofer accused of killing a co-worker by slashing him with a circular saw said he was being mocked for saying he wasn’t feeling well after having sex. Miguel Navarro, 24, of St. Louis, allegedly attacked Israel Valles-Flores, 37, also of St. Louis, with the saw on the roof of a home near River Falls, western Wisconsin, on Monday.

Truck driver killed in Route 80 crash

KNOWLTON, NJ — The driver of a tractor trailer was killed in a crash on Interstate 80 east Monday night. Early reports indicated the truck veered off the left portion of the highway’s eastbound side at about 8 p.m. and then slammed into several trees near mile marker 6.9, according to New Jersey State Police Sgt. Lawrence Peele. The driver, whose name and age were being withheld by authorities Monday night so the family could be notified, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Peele.

Tow truck driver killed on I-10 in Cabazon is identified

CABAZON, CA — Authorities Wednesday released the name of a tow truck driver who was struck and killed by a big rig on Interstate 10 in Cabazon. Jon Israel, 50, of Cabazon, died at the scene of the 9 a.m. Tuesday crash on westbound I-10, west of Haughen Lehmann Way. Israel was on duty with local tow company Stagecoach Towing when he parked his flatbed on the north shoulder of the freeway and got out of the truck, according to CHP Officer Darren Meyer, who said it was unknown why he pulled over, as there were no disabled vehicles needing service in the area.As Israel was getting back in his truck, he and the open tow truck door were struck by a semi driven by 52-year-old Riverside resident Marco Rodriguez, who “allowed his vehicle to drift onto the north shoulder,” Meyer said.

MAN KILLED IN GARBAGE TRUCK CRASH IN POWELL CO. IDENTIFIED

CLAY CITY, Ky. (WTVQ) – A residential garbage truck driver was killed in a single vehicle accident shortly after noon Wednesday on Spout Springs Road (KY 2001) in Clay City. The Powell County Coroner identified the man as 57-year-old David Burgess. State Police say Burgess was driving the garbage truck when he veered off the road into a ditch causing the truck to overturn.

Florida truck driver killed in fiery Geneseo crash

Geneseo, IL — A Florida truck driver was killed in a fiery head-on collision near the Geneseo I-80 exit on Saturday, Aug. 4. The crash — which involved two semi truck trailers, one serving as a car carrier — occurred at 7:08 p.m. Geneseo residents reported hearing a “bang” followed by thick plumes of black smoke which drifted northward, leading many to speculate about a possible explosion or fire at one of the gas stations located near I-80. Instead, state police officials said a 2014 Freightliner box trailer truck driven by Barry E. Barlow, 54, of Panama City, Fla., was traveling westbound toward the Quad Cities when it left the roadway, traveled through the center median and struck an eastbound 2006 Peterbilt semi head-on. The eastbound semi was a car carrier and was hauling several vehicles. Upon impact, both semi trucks caught on fire. Barlow was pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver of the second truck, Cheyenne O. Burgos, 44, of Palm Bay, Fla., was transported from the scene.

Veron County Truck Driver Killed In Collision

Halltown, MO — A Milo man was killed when his tractor trailer collided with another semi on I-44 in Lawrence County Wednesday afternoon. The Missouri State Highway Patrol tells News Talk KZRG 63-year-old Randy Pierson of Collins, Missouri was slowing down on I-44 near Halltown because of another accident when 64-year-old Neal Stroud slammed into the back of him. Stroud died at a local hospital. Pierson sustained minor injuries.

Worker dies after falling from roof in Chesapeake

Chesapeake, VA — A man who was working on the roof of a business died after he fell off the building Tuesday morning, the Chesapeake Fire Department said. The accident happened just after 8 a.m. at United Rental, located in the 4300 block of Bainbridge Boulevard. Arriving firefighters found the 25-year-old man had fallen through a skylight in the roof. A Nightingale air ambulance was called but did not transport, as the man died at the scene. A spokesperson for the Chesapeake Fire Department said the man was employed by a contractor who was hired to complete some work on the roof.

Landscaper dies after disturbing wasp nest at Jacksonville Beach home

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Joe English worked as a tree trimmer for ‘Daddy and the Girls’ landscaping service. The 57-year-old man fell from a ladder on Saturday while trimming trees at a Jacksonville Beach home. The Jacksonville Beach Police Department said English fell approximately 20 feet from the ladder and landed on brick pavers after disturbing a wasp nest. English died of his injuries Sunday at Memorial Hospital, authorities said.